“We’ve taken great strides in overcoming this and will continue to do so, but after hearing Sir Michael’s comments I thought maybe we should try a new and different tack.”

He added: “The flag was the first element that came to mind because the sector doesn’t have a unified symbol.

“The thinking behind it was very much inspired by the popularity of the London Olympics design and linked to that was the anthem idea.”

London-based firm Pink Salmon Media donated their time to designing the flag and employed Ivor Novello award-winning composer Paul K Joyce to write the anthem, provisionally named Reach For The College.

I ended up finding a singing voice I never knew I had” Martin Doel, AoC

Mr Joyce said: “I hope the anthem makes people smile but I also hope it encourages them to really think about further education as an option.”

His previous credits include Can We Fix It?, the theme tune for children’s TV show Bob the Builder, which sold more than a million records and was the biggest selling single of 2000, and The Snow Queen, a stage show and animated film based on the Hans Christian-Anderson story, featuring Juliet Stephenson and Patrick Stewart.

Shane Palmer, Pink Salmon managing director, said: “It was an honour for us to be appointed this task and I think our team has produced a stunning image for the FE sector to be proud of.

“We have utilised the profile of a mountain to signify the uphill journey to improvement and placed a flag on top of the mountain to signify achievement.

“Having the flag within the flag is also redolent of the learning that takes place within the learning environment because lecturers are on their own journey of discovery, as we all are.”

She added: “I’m especially pleased with Paul’s re-imagining of the S Club 7 classic Reach, which made it all the way to number two in 2000, for the sector anthem.”

Colleges will be able to register to use the flag and the anthem on a special website due to be launched next week.

Mr Doel said: “The anthem has already been recorded and I’m sure it will surprise many with just how catchy and upbeat it is — and that’s something that rings true for the sector and how positive we want to be about it.

“Recording it was also an amazing experience. I only went along to the studios to oversee production and I actually got asked to do some backing vocals — I ended up finding a singing voice I never knew I had.”

Ian Parkin recording Reach For The College at a studio in Soho, London

Hi Nick and team. I think you’ll find the original composer possibly wasn’t Joyce but Oril Apolf who went on to compose the basic sounds for many of todays well known tunes. I can also advice that a flag with the design shown, specifically a mountain and two clouds, was historically known as a Loof Lirpa, which is of course means to gather support and momentum, which I hope FE Week continues to do. :- )